Weft-feeler mechanism for looms.



H. A. OWEN. WEFT FEE'LER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23. 1916- 1,251,687; Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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H. A. OWEN. WEFT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOP/IS,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23; l9l6. l filyfifi'ya Patented Jan. 1,l9l8= 5 SHEBTSS'HEET 2.

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H. A. OWEN.

WEFT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPJ-CATIGN HLE'J 85? Emma. Jan. '1, 1918.

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WEFT new: MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

' APPLI'CATION HLED SEPT- 3, 6-

l,251,6$?a Patented Jan. 1,1918.

5 SHEETSSHEET 4.

H. A OWEN.

WEFT FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 23 191Ev 1,251,687, Patented Jan. 1,1918.

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HENRY A. ownn, or

WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, Assienon To THE w rTIn MACHINE worms, or WHITINSVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORAT O OF MASSACHUSETTS.

WEFT-FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Pate t d Application filed September 23, 1916.- Serial No. 121,714.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. OWEN, a

citizen of the United, States, residing at Whitinsville, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented the following described new and useful Improvementgj in Weft-Feeler Mechanisms for Looms. v

This invention is an improvement in feeler motions for looms in which the ,feeler member is rendered active to call a change in the looms operation by virtue of its slipping sidewise on the filling, or lengthwise of the bobbin, and at some predetermined stage of exhaustion of the filling,- and the invention consists in the organization of such a feeler member with the loom changing mechanism whereby it is relieved of the duty of imparting its movement to all of the call-transmitting elements, especially when slipping, and whereby its side-slipping movement takes place against resistances,

nspring and frictional, which are small in value and practically non-variable during the life of the mechanism, thereby insuring that the slip shallreliably occur at the desired stage of. exhaustion and otherwise.

improving the actionand enhancing the durability of the motion. As will appear from the following description, the present motion operates essentially on the principle of trigger mechanism in that, in its normal position, the feeler member serves to sus- -Qtai'n some other element of the call-trans- =n1ittitng line,'-the part termed controller in the present caseagainst the pressureof a tensioned spring or other force, and when slipping to what may be called its abnormal position, releases that element and allows the force acting thereon to do the work of moving it and of overcoming the inertia of such other call-transmitting elements as may be employed and thereby renders active the actuating train which produces the change in the loom. The spring force so employed may be as powerful as required to give rapidcall transmission without 'thereby affecting the load on the feeler member because. the engaging surfaces of the sustained and sustaining members may be so disposer. with reference to their relative movements as to disengage without countering the said force, and in consefactory action is assured to' all the various forms of which the invention: is

The change accomplished in the loom may;

be the automatic replenishment of'the spent bobbin; or of the shuttle, or the stoppage of the loom, as preferred. s

In the accompanying'drawings: it Figure 1 represents in 'plan view certain familiar parts of a loom withone form of the invention applied to it; A 'Fig. 2, a cross section'on "line 2 -2 of Fig.1;

Fig. 3, a top plan of the same'parts showing the feeler in its slipped position and the other parts correspondingly shifted Fig- 4, a top plan of the same parts showing the lay in an intermediate position;

- Fig. 5, which illustrates the automatic resetting of the controller is a cross section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4;; I

Fig. 6 is a top plan of .a modified form of controller and resetter; and

Fig; 7 a' cross section'thereof on line 7-7.

In the illustrated example of the inven+ tion, the related parts of the loom proper, as shown, are the usual breast beam f 'on which the feeler' motion. is mounted, tne knockofi lever m fulcrumed on abracketap at the end of the beam, the shipper-handle n in the slot 0 in said bracket, the weft-fork mechanism h, k, and g, "Which'operates-the lever m to shift the shipper handle,= a'nd the with its link 21 and dog 26 'constitutewelh known parts of the train ofactu'ating mechanism which transmits the I motion ofv the hammer to the weft replenishing apparatus (not shown), and such train is herein referred to as the actuating train. The draw- 100 ings also Show aiportion of the lay a with its shuttle box 0, which latter has window 0 in its forward side. fThe shuttle 6 also has a window b'therein which registhe shuttle is in place therein, asitis when the lay swings forward or toward'thebrea'st beam on each alternate beating -up stroke. All these parts are, or'maybe constructed terswith the shuttle box'window 0' when and organized as commonly found in auto-"11o Q esa-est matic weft-replenishing looms and the present invention may be variously applied to such or any similar organization.

The sideslipping feeler member. marked 1, is pivotally supported upon a carrier 3 mounted on abracket fastened to the breast beam in front of the shuttle box, and in this position the feeler is adapted to engage the wound mass of filling e on the bobbin (7 through the registering windows above referred to. and on each alternate beat-up of the lay. The carrier 3 is mounted to yield when necessary to the forward stroke of the bobbin and for this purpose is constituted, in

the present case, as a lever pivoted at l to the bracket 5 and urged by a spring 7 (connected to a bracket post 8) in the direction to hold the feeler toward the lay. This yielding mounting of the feeler member is a preferred means for permitting its contact terminal to perform its feeling function while the lay is still swinging forward. The said contact terminal is shaped n'eferably as a chisel edge, being adapted to slip on the weft or filling, as usual in feelers of this type, and for this purpose the feeler 1 is pivoted at 2 upon its support 3 so that it can turn on a vertical axis. The pivot 2 is offset from the line of push exerted by the filling on the contact terminal, so as to estab lish a tendency for the feeler to swing horizontally or sidewise under the efiect of such push. lhis tendency is normally resisted in part, by a light spring 10 applied to the arm 11 on the feeler member and in part and principally, by the condition of firmness of-the layers of filling on the bobbin or other filling carrier. lVhen the filling becomes insufficient. by exhaustion to retain the contact terminal at its point of initial contact, the sidewise component of the push on the offset pivot swings the feeler against its spring and causes it to slip on the filling to the position indicated in Fig. 3. Variation of the pressure of the spring acting on the feeler will thus vary the point at which slipping will occur and it will be noted that the spring also serves to restore the feeler to normal position after it has slipped and the bobbin has receded as'presently described.

A stop pin 13 determines this normal position.

The actuating train above referred to and which, as stated, is operated by the stroke of the weft hammer arm 28, is controlled by the controller 14, which is a part independent of the actuating train and serves merely to cause the dog '26 to assume a motion-transmitting position in the train whenever a change is called. For this purpose the dog may be variously related to the other parts according to the customary practice in the art, and in the present case it is pivoted at 27 to. the link member 21 as above described, the said link being jointed at 22 This link rests upon and is adapted to slide when operating. on the rupstanding lug 25. By virtue of the gravity of its over-balanced end the dog is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 2, in which position it is out of the path of the weft hammer arm. lVhen tilted on its pivot, its nose portion is lowered so as to be encountered by the said arm and the motion of the weft hammer is thereby imparted to the actuating arm 20 and through the latter to the loom-changing mechanism as will be understood. The controller ll is a lever extending from the dog at one end to the feeler mechanism at the other end. and oscillates on a pivot-15 which in the present case, is carried by the same carrier member, 3, that carries the feeler proper 1. so that the controller, in the present case. may partake of the normal yielding motion of the feeler and its carrier. The end of the controller adjacent the dog 26 carries an upright pin 31. arranged to strike the pin 30 projecting laterally from. the lower part of the dog 20 when the controller moves to an extreme position, as indicated in Fig. 3. By such engagement the dog is tilted so as to be struck by the weft hammer as shown in F 5. The controller lever ll is normally urged toward this active, changecalling position by a spring 18 connecting it to a hook 19 on the breast beam and the power of the spring is sutlicient to give the dog a sharp kick whenever the controller is allowed to act upon it. The momentum of the dog when struck by the controller pin 30 throwsits forward end upward and the relatlve sluggishness with'which it returns on 1ts pivotal connection enables the weft hammer to strike it, even though the controller be immediately, or coincidently restored to its original position.

During normal operation, the controller is held in inactive relation to the dog by the feeler mechanism and the latter is arranged so that the sidewise slip of the feeler shall release, or cause the release, of the controller and thereby allow the force acting thereon to call the change in the manner just described. For this purpose the feeler mechanism is provided with a controller-sustaining member in the form of an arm or trig- '12 shifts to one side and releases the controller, thereby allowing it to assume its active, extreme, or dog-operating position. In

the illustration of the invention, the sustaining member 12 also serves to limit the dog-operating swing of the controller when released, as will be apparent in Fig. 3. The bottom of. the notch 17, cut in the end of the earner controller adjacent the surface 16, brings up against the end of the trigger member and thereby arrests the controller, and it will of course be understood that the notch is deep enough to permit a sufficient throw of the controller to operate the dog before becoming eflective for the purpose stated. According to the organization of the several parts the throw of the controller may be greater or less as desired, but is in any event produced by the force acting ,on the controller and not by the feeler. The engaging surfaces of the controller and the feeler arm 12, moreover, are disposed substantially parallelto the direction of movement of the latter so that the disengaging or releasing movement takes place without appreciable resistance or friction from thespring pressure and may be made as easy as desired.

When the controller has been released it is automatically restored to its sustained positionby a stroke from the arm 43 which is carried on one end ofa short rock shaft e0, journaled in brackets 41 on the rear face of the breast beam. This shaft is rocked. at the appropriate instant by an arm 44: at its other end which is struck by the weft hammer near the end of the latters stroke, following its impact on the dog The resulting stroke of the arm 43, in a rearward direction, swings the controller far enough to allow the feeler spring 10 to restore the member 12 to its sustaining position, whereupon the feeler and controller are again set and ready to transmit another call to the actuating train of the change producing mechanism. During normal operation the arm 43 oscillates idly and does not strike the controller, the latter being held out of its path by the member 12. I. 1

In the modification of Figs. oand 7 the construction will be recognized as similar to that already described, but in this form the controller 14?- operates a secondary lever 1 L pivoted to the feeler bracket at l i and in such manner as to swing the end of the latter rearwardly over the dog 26 when the controller l l is released by the feeler. The

dog 26 is provided with a top cam surface 26 for engagement by the arm of the lever 14* when so actuated, and by means of such cam the dog is depressed into the path of the arm 28 of the weft hammer, the action being otherwise as above explained. Resetting is accomplished in this form by the laterally projecting arm 43 on the weft hammer, which, near the end of the hammer stroke, strikes the rear side of the lever 14* and thereby swings the controller 14 on its pivot 13 far enough to allow the feeler] spring 10 to restore the feeler.

Various other mocllfications and changes in the specific constructionj and arrangement of the parts may obviousl be made within the spirit and scope of t is invention, the,

essential feature whereof consists, as now fully described, in the release by the feeler of the controller or equivalent member to;al

low a force acting thereon to transmit the.

call to the loom-changing or weft-replenishmg devices.

Claims.

'1. The combination with a loom having including a shiftable dog forming part of the actuating train of said mechanism,0f

a controller for said dog subject to. a force mechanism for producing a change therein urging'it in the direction to call the change and means normally sustaining. the controller against said force including. a sideslipping feeler having its support oflset. I from the direction of pushing. movement.

on'its contact end whereby it is caused to i tion between an actuating member and the loom-changing mechanism to impart the movement of the former to the latter, a controller for saiddog, a spring normally urging the controller in the direction to cause such interposition of the dog and means normally sustaining the pressure-of member adapted by its slipping to move said means from its said sustaining relation and allow the'controller to move indethe spring including-a side-slipping feeler pendently under the action of said spring to call the change.

3. The combination with a loom having an actuating train of mechanism for producing a change therein including adog in said train, of a controller for said dog, a

member normally preventing movement of said controller into action upon said dog, a side-slipping feeler carried on a yielding mounting and caused to slip by the push of the filling and adapted to shift said member by virtue of said slipping movement and thereby permit. movement of the controller to call the change.

t. The combination in a loom of a calltransmitting controller adapted to control the actuating train for producing a change in the looms operation and being itself independent of said train, a spring adapted to operate said controller in the direction to call the change, feeler mechanism comprising a member normally sustaining said controller in itsnon-operating position with respect to said train, a side-slipping feeler adapted to shift said member to its nonsustaining position and having a pivotal. support-ofiset from the line of push on its contact terminal whereby it may slip on the filling carrier to shi P aid member, and

5., Thecombination with a. local having a' 1 0' cct to a force t ion to call the chan I mining the controller a including a side-slipping iieeler caused to slip by the push of the shuttle contents and adapted by such slippii' to the controller to cell he change and means automatically perziting to restore the released controller to its said sustained relation.

In a loom the combination of it train oi": actuating mechanism for changing its operation. a controller for said train independent thereof and subject to force urging it in the direction to render said train active to produce the change and ler inechsnisin mounted to yield to the normal push of the filling said. teeler mechanism comprising a member sustaining the controller in an in' active position durii 9; the normal yielding movement, :1 sides pping feeler member caused to slip on the filling carrier under and h the push ti ":8? and. by such slipping adapted to shift said sn ining meniher from its normal susteinnig relation to the controller whereby the controller is re leased to cause the change, and means for Ting said controller after it 5 .LL

it in LilQ witn- 2 loom having a? meme actuating mechanism for producnin s in the operation thereof, of a controller tor said train independent there- 'nd mounted to yeld to the push of the lid said contr r being subject to e force urging it to an extreme position Wherein it renders said train active to effect the change, nieans normally sustaining the controller against said force and yielding therewith, {L side-slipping feeler caused to slip by the push of the filling carrier and by such slipping to release the controller end thereby permit it to call the change.

8, In loom the combination of a train of actuating mechanism for changing its operation. a controller for said train independent thereof and mounted to yield normally to the push of the filling end having an extreme position wherein it renders said train active to call the change, a, feeler can rier also yielding to the push of the filling and a side-slipifiing :feeler on said carrier caused to slip by the push of the filling and "erovided with means for maintaining said. controller and carrier in a determined relative position during their normal inoteinent and pern'iitting the increment to extreme position of said controller when the feeler slips reletivel to the filling.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this 

